The present invention relates to apparatus for converting a continuous running web of textile material or the like into a succession of discrete rolls or bolts. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in bolt forming or winding apparatus of the type wherein a first winding device is active while a second winding device is held in a position of readiness and the second winding device is activated when the first winding device completes the making of a bolt.
German Auslegeschrift No. 2,317,325 discloses a winding apparatus wherein each of the two winding devices comprises two bolt holders which are disposed at the opposite sides of the path of movement of the running web. Each of the two winding devices is preceded by a web deflecting device, and the two winding devices are mounted on a support which is indexed through 180 degrees whenever a winding device accumulates a fully grown bolt of convoluted web material. Indexing of the support through 180 degrees entails a movement of the winding device which is about to start the making of a bolt to the position previously occupied by the other winding device and vice versa. Such apparatus further comprises a cutter which is actuatable to sever the web between the two winding devices when one of these devices completes the making of a fully grown bolt. The positioning of deflecting devices relative to the associated winding devices is selected in such a way that each deflecting device contacts the web during each stage of accumulation of a bolt on the associated winding device and that the web does not come in contact with any other part or parts in the region between the deflecting device and the associated winding device. The apparatus which is disclosed in this German publication is used for the winding of foils consisting of synthetic plastic material Each bolt is formed by winding the foil around a hollow cylindrical core, and the end portions of the core are engaged by the bolt holders of the respective winding device while the latter rotates to wind the foil around the core. A roller is provided to bias the foil against the core during the initial stage of the making of a bolt to thus ensure that the leader of the foil cannot slip with reference to the core. It has been found that the utilization of such biasing rollers is undesirable in apparatus which are used to wind webs of textile material, especially webs which contain several overlapping layers of textile material, because the rollers enhance the tendency of the textile material to crinkle, i.e., to develop folds which are hard to remove if the textile material remains in the form of a bolt for extended periods of time. Moreover, the development of pronounced folds is likely to cause the dimensions of the fully grown bolt of textile material to depart from optimum or expected dimensions; this can create problems in connection with storage of such bolts.